Friends
by BellaPerea
Summary: Everyone's got their own problems, like a pregnant teenage sister, alcohol addiction, lawsuits and you traumatic past coming back to haunt you. Who said life was a piece of cake? Not for these guys. AU, NaruHina, GaaSaku, and others.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Plot bunnies just keep appearing!! Anyways, this was a random idea that popped into my head. I want to make a tear jerker/sad story--something really real to life. So, here it is! Friends!**

Hinata slept soundly on her queen-sized bed, only the other side supposedly occupied by her boyfriend Naruto, but he was on tour for a week with his band, _Seventh Heaven_. She snored quietly, but tossed and turned occasionally out of the absence of her beloved Naruto.

Suddenly, her white Blackberry rang Debussy, meaning one of her family was calling. She flicked it open, only to be greeted by her little sister's voice. "Onee?" Her imouto's soft voice chimed.

Hinata shook her blackish-blue locks around before responding in a low growl. "Hanabi, it's," She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table, which illuminated '4:30 AM' in a bright red. "4:30 in the morning. What would you be calling about at this time?" She asked.

"Um…well…" She stumbled around. "I'm in the car. I sort of fought with Dad. Can I stay with you for a while?" The silent humming of Hanabi's Mazda 5 playing silently in the background as Hinata contemplated on the question.

'_Again?' _She sighed, knowing that she couldn't say no. "Why not? Get over here before I fall asleep already."

--

Getting off from the late shift, Sakura stretched as she left the last room of her rounds.

"Dr. Haruno!" An intern called from behind her. "Minor concussion! Street racing accident!" She explained.

Sakura froze. _Street racing…_

"DOCTOR HARUNO!!" The intern called once again.

Snapping from her reverie, her head turned to the running crowd. Immediately, she pulled on her stethoscope and rushed to the group of nurses. She saw the patient was a young man, about her age of 22. He had messy red hair, which went along well with the blood that trickled from the right corner of forehead. On the opposite of that, the kanji for 'love' was tattooed in the same striking crimson.

_Street racer._

Even though blood was spilling profusely from the injury, he still occasionally grabbed his forehead and moaned in pain, causing the pinkette or a nurse to pull the limb back down.

"Get him to surgery! I need anesthesia, NOW!"

--

"It's over Shika."

"WHAT?" Said genius' eyes widened. "Ino…you said that you loved me just a minute ago."

The blonde tore her phone off the table and removed the loudspeaker. "You fucking heard me Nara!" She screamed, taking another swig of the brandy bottle in her hand. "WE'RE OVER AND THAT'S FINAL!"

And the purple RZR was flipped closed. Conversation over.

--

A brown haired figure made her way past the dark alley, ignoring the catcalls and whistles she received from the drunken group of men who saw her.

'_Why did I have to wear __**this **__to work?!'_ She asked herself, examining her outfit. It was a short strapless green dress, complemented with black leggings, a black coat and black high heeled boots. After all, she still had to cover up for the early January frost while looking hot for her job at Ichiraku's Bar.

She pulled her collar up, guarding her very exposed collarbone from the cold. Suddenly, her phone vibrated from under the thin covering of the coat.

"What's up Screwy?" She answered. On the caller ID was none other than one of her long time friends, Hyuuga Neji, AKA her lawyer.

"No time for jokes Tenten. We found it." He deadpanned. "We found your parents' will."

**A/N: How'd you like it? Good, bad? Tell me in a review, and I would probably continue.**

**- Bella**


	2. Chapter 1: Bad Day

**A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the first chapter! I wasn't really sure if I'd continue this story, but you guys rule! Anyways, read and review after! **

**Disclaimer: Yes, my name is Kishimoto. JK! I don't own Naruto...if I did, Sasori would still be alive!**

**Legend:**

_Flashback_

Normal talking

"Onee-chan…It's about the New Year's party." Hanabi explained, fiddling around with her forefingers in the manner that her older sister once did. She wiggled uncomfortably on the black leather couch.

Hinata was only half awake, but pretended to be half attentive as she prepared some hot cocoa. After all, no one wanted to be burnt by searing hot chocolate. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Um…I'm…" The younger of the Hyuugas looked at her sister with pleading eyes. She didn't have a script, so she came out with the truth. It was just too hard. "I'm pregnant."

--

_A silver Porsche, a black Mercedes and a red Ferrari raced on the dark, abandoned roads of Konoha. The speedy sedans reached over 200 mph on the icy night, challenging each other to the other side of the town. _

'Dobe ain't gonna make it.' _The Mercedes driver thought cockily, just as the red Ferrari overtook him. The raven-haired man stuck his head out the open window and looked at the red bumper slowly disappearing from his view. "WHAT THE FUCK, BITCH!?"_

_Pushing more on the acceleration pedal, he caught up to the Ferrari driver._

_The second driver smirked behind the pitch-black tinting. _'Too bad Sasuke-kun is gonna loose to a girl.'_ She thought. Turning left sharply, she skidded on the icy flooring. The Ferrari spun uncontrollably for the next few milliseconds and the bright red sports car flew into the dark abyss of the forest. _

_The Mercedes pulled up and its driver walked out. The Uchiha pulled his cell phone out. "NARUTO! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!"_

_He ran down the hillside and found a mess of red metal at the bottom. The car had apparently driven in a large black tree, and was cleanly sliced head-first through the front bumper. Another tree had fallen on the backseat area of the racecar, nearly completely crushing it. A blonde head appeared beside him and assessed the situation with him. _

"_Holy shit Teme..." Naruto whispered._

_Sasuke frantically rushed to the bottom of the slope and started digging around for the driver. Long pink tresses fell from under the black bark of the fallen tree. "SAKURA!" he called. No response from the victim was heard. "Naruto, call 911!" _

"Dr. Haruno, your patient is awake."

Sakura woke up, shifting around in her chair. She blinked, until the intern's face was clear.

"Dr. Haruno," The intern shook her again. "The street-racing patient is awake."

"Mm…okay."

--

The older Hyuuga girl stared into space with a shocked expression. "Pre-pre preg-n-nant? Pregnant?" She repeated in a full body state of sheer disbelief.

Hanabi nodded shamefully. "Um, yeah."

"But, who? How? When? Did you tell father?" Hinata threw the questions at lightning speed.

"It was the New Year's party."

"_Hanabi…" Hinata questioned. "What are you wearing?" She analyzed her sister's dress for the New Year's Party being thrown by Tsunade in her large, mansion like house. It was a black dress reaching only to mid-thigh. It was a halter cut, exposing even the cleavage of the teen. She may have worn black stockings under, but the outfit was totally obscene for a seventeen year old to wear._

"_A dress." She stated simply. _

"_Oh well, too late to change. Sakura's going to throw a fit if we're late!"_

"_5! 4! 3! 2! 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The house full of guests chorused._

"_Happy New Year Hinata!" Sakura scooted over to her white-eyed friend and gave her a large hug._

_The Hyuuga returned the hug and smile. "Same to you! But I have to find Hanabi! Father asked me to get her back to the mansion before 1:30!"_

_Sakura nodded. "Okay. I think she went to the bathroom or something."_

"You know when Sakura told you I was in the bathroom?" Hanabi nervously asked. Her sister nodded. "I wasn't."

"_HOLY SHIT HANABI!!" Sakura cried out, blinded. "Konohamaru! What the hell are you two doing! And in my mother's house!"_

"Oh. My. God." At that, Hinata wound up on the floor, her weak heart having taken enough crap already.

--

The young medical prodigy walked into the recovery room and found the lone redhead patient lying down there. She picked up the clipboard from the nurse on-duty.

"Good morning Subaku-san. How are you feeling?" She quoted from the non-existent 'Book of What to Say When a Patient Wakes Up'. "Any dizziness? Nausea?"

The man didn't look at his doctor. Instead, he shook his head and kept his gaze on his fist. "No."

To be honest, Sakura found this patient quite attractive. His jade eyes gave him a mysterious look, but a strange innocence. His tousled hair gave him the I-don't-care look, and due to the fact she carried her teen years not so far behind her, she found that look _absolutely hot._

"Subaku-san?" She asked. Without waiting for his response, she attempted to place her stethoscope on his chest, until he grabbed her wrist. She cried in pain as he threw her to the crowd of nurses behind her.

"Get. Away." He deadpanned.

"Dr. Haruno!" The nurses and interns chattered, checking if their supervisor was okay. They held her by the arms, catching her fall.

The doctor grabbed a scrunchy from her wrist and tied her mid-back long hair into a loose bun behind her back. She rolled up her white lab coat sleeves to her elbow and approached the sadistic patient with a syringe in hand. "Subaku-san, you _will_ let me check your heartbeat," She threatened, emphasizing her statement with a squeeze of the anesthesia. "You want to get out of here alive, right?"

The menacing stare-off between the two ended with the victor being the female. The patient leaned back in his bed and let the pinkette slide the cold metal tool across his chest. She slipped up, her finger touching his cold chest. "Oops. Sorry."

'_Holy shit.' _He commented inwardly. The doctor's hand was soft.

"Okay Subaku-san. I think you can go. I don't recommend you drive, so I ask if you call a relative to pick you up." She said after a few more tests.

He grunted in response.

'_Like all stoic bastards I know.'_

"You can be discharged in a while. Nurse Kaede will bring in your papers." She said, and left.

--

"NEJI! YOU DRAGGED ME HERE FOR SOMETHING, I STILL HAVE TO CHANGE OUT OF MY WORK OUTFIT, AND I NEED TO SLEEP! IT'S 6 O'CLOCK IN THE FREAKING MORNING! SHOW ME THE WILL GODDAMN WILL!" Tenten ranted her problems to her white-eyed lawyer.

"Tenten, I'll show it to you, just…" He asked her to sit but…

"…OH GOD! I STILL HAVE TO COOK LEE'S LASAGNA AND…"

"TENTEN! I have it with me." He stated, holding a manila envelope in his hand. "But there's a—"

Immediately, the bunned brunette stopped in her tracks. Walking up to the mahogany desk, she snatched the envelope from her lawyer's pale hand and cut off his sentence. She started reading through it. When her eyes reached the fourth page, they widened.

"Your parents' properties are immediately transferred to Yakushi Kabuto, the son of your parents' employer." Neji explained, seeing as his companion kept quiet then gave him the 'Explain. Now.' Stare.

"So, they left me with nothing…" She summarized. When Neji nodded his head, she threw the document across the room. She huddled in a chair in a fetal position, hugging her knees closely. "I knew it! It's so like them!"

"Ten…" the lawyer cooed, rubbing his client's back sympathetically. "We'll get the properties back, promise."

--

"Forehead!" Ino cried, lifting up an empty brandy bottle. The sun peeked over the two-storey, two bedroom, 2 ½ bathroom home that the pair shared. The blond sat on the porch, positioned right under the door. "What took you so long? Ya missed the par-TAY!"

Sakura had just come home from the most troublesome patient on her extended, underpaid shift even though the hospital's director is her own _mother_. "Ino, it's five below zero outside! How could you be wearing that?" She cried, examining her friend's half-shirt and mini skirt.

The pinkette picked up her housemate by the arms and subsequently pulled her keys from her messenger bag, knowing that Ino had lost her keys _again_. While she set her friend in her room, she couldn't help but think how much Ino has lost herself. She just drinks and drinks and drinks all the time now! She doesn't even have a job, so she practically leeches on the pinkette. She isn't on good terms with her parents, so she lives with her best friend.

Luckily, there's another person Ino is deeply involved with…

Sakura pulled out a shiny silver iPhone and dialed a certain spiky-haired genius, who has been ringing her phone the past three hours.

"Nara," She spoke.

"Oh thank god Sakura! You call back!" He cried in panic. "Do you know how many times I've been trying to call you?"

"Seven times in the past two hours Shika. I had to work overtime--again." She answered, clearly in an annoyed tone. "What is it about? Ooh, let me guess—Ino…?" She asked half-heartedly.

"She broke up with me."

"NANI?!"

"She called me and just said 'it's over' without a proper reason." He explained. "Right before she did, she said she loved me. What's going on with that girl? Not even I can control her drinking anymore! She's just so...TROUBLESOME!"

"Neither can I…" the pinkette added. "Look, I think we both know that Ino is emotionally unstable. I'll have her diagnosed and analyzed later for something like bi-polarity or something."

"Can't you do it? I mean, you're a doctor…" He noted.

"I'm a physician Shikamaru. I only deal with physical problems. Psychology is a totally different wing of the hospital."

--

Hinata let her sister sleep in the guest room of their chic, two-storey apartment. When she arrived in her own bed, she couldn't sleep at all. The sun was already up, meaning Hinata had lost at least two precious hours of sleep.

Again she glanced at the clock. _'Make that three hours…'_ She thought.

"Naruto…?" She spoke into her blackberry's mouthpiece. The Hyuuga was let into her boyfriend's voicemail, since he would probably still be asleep. "I miss you. I need your help. There's a problem back home…I want the week to pass by faster. Hope you're safe. Have fun with Sai and Sasuke. I bet you're making the crowds go wild in Suna. Love you…"

The familiar beep of the voicemail recorder's limit cut her before she could continue. She put her phone down and lay her head on the blond's pillow. It's smelled of ramen, and she giggled at the thought. Their picture lay beside her head on the bedside table, showing them sitting on a bench in Konoha Park. His orange-clad arm was thrown around her shoulders and he pulled her closer to his chest. He grinned happily while she slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.

Beside that picture was another one, one of her and her three best friends. On the far left was Tenten, the tomboyish, half-Chinese brunette who worked as a bartender in Ichiraku's. She lived alone, since she lost her parents in an airplane accident when she was a kid. Beside her was Hinata herself, a columnist for Konoha Times. The pink-haired girl beside her, Sakura, is the medical prodigy of Konoha, graduating from medical school six years early and rising to the top of the hospital ranks in just one year. After that was the loud blond Ino, who is currently unemployed and living with Sakura.

She took a good look at her three friends and chuckled. They were all very different, but then again, opposites attract, right?

--


	3. Chapter 2: Hear Me

**A/N: Updated! R&R please!! Note: this will be my last update until after May because I'm going out of the country for the whole month.**

**Anyways, every chapter of this story will be named after a song...not including the prologue. So obviously, Chap 1 was 'Bad Day'. I forgot who sang it though. Stupid short term memory!! This chapter is 'Hear Me' by Kelly Clarkson. Listen to it while reading.**

**KK!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Hinata. :)**

"HIIINNNNNAAAAATTTTTAAAAAA-CHHHYYYAAANNN!!!!"

Said Hyuuga looked up from the homemade ramen in the pot, only to be attack by a blob of yellow running towards her. "Naruto-kun! You're early!" Her boyfriend entered their apartment discreetly, his loud voice being the only thing alerting her to his presence.

"Hina-chan, Hina-chan, Hina-chan I missed you so much!!" He affectionately rubbed his cheek against hers like a cat with his arms around her torso. She could feel his head suddenly turn towards the stove, and he let her go. "You made me ramen for my homecoming?!"

She nodded, not speaking since she was still out of breath from his suffocating hug.

He cupped her chin in his large, recently tanned hand, planted a soft kiss on her lips. "You're so sweet…" The golden-haired musician wrapped his arms around the writer's waist from behind as she continued to stir the noodles.

"Naruto-kun, why don't you sit down in the dining room? The ramen's almost done." She said, tapping the back of his hands slightly, signalling to let her go. He muttered a 'sure' and was about to turn around when her voice called him back. "Can you also call for Hanabi and tell her dinner's ready? I think she's in the TV room."

He turned around and headed for the said TV room, located under the stairs of their large apartment. He saw a smaller version of Hinata sitting on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest, her chin resting on the joint and her arms wrapped around them. At the sight of the Uzumaki, she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. "Naruto-niisan!!"

"Hey kid," He affectionately patted the shiny black hair on her head. "Dinner's ready, DATTEBAYO!"

--

Sakura returned from _another_ extended shift at the hospital. Apparently, her own mother was ruthless enough to make her daughter cover the shift span time of three doctors. As she dropped her keys into the bowl on a long table decorating the entrance hallway and hung her winter coat on a nearby hook, she glanced at the clock. 8:30 PM.

'_Naruto should be home by now…'_ She told herself, and she walked into the living room through the large, Victorian archway, past the cream colored couches, the gold coffee table and the brick fireplace to the little circular table at the end of the room where an ivory cordless telephone was located.

She picked it up and dialed the landline of two of her best friends. An audible 'click' was heard before a soft voice native to the Hyuuga girls' came on.

"Sakura-chan, I'm glad you called!" Hyuuga Hinata, the older of the two sisters, said in delight. "Naruto-kun just arrived!"

"I know! Can I speak with him? He wouldn't answer to phone whenever I called him while they were on tour." Sakura explained with a giggle and a sigh. She could hear Hinata call the drummer, and after a few soft shuffles, a loud, booming and eccentric male voice came on.

"Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto, answer your best friend's calls once in a while, would you?" The doctor scolded.

Though she couldn't see it, she knew he was rubbing the back of his neck childishly. "Sorry Sakura-chan, we were busy with the performances and the signing and all." He said. "Wish you were there though, fans were all over us!"

Sakura just rolled her eyes as she plopped on a kitchen stool, munching on her newly made PB&J sandwich. "You know I had medical school. Besides, Sai's being nice to the band and Kakashi, right?"

She heard him laugh nervously. "Ne, Sakura-chan, Sai's fine, but you were one hell of a bassist slash keyboard player slash singer!! C'mon, come back, even for like, one show!" He begged.

"Sorry, can't. Mom's been giving me all the extended shifts. But I still write lyrics for you, right?"

Naruto sighed on the other side. "Yeah, I guess so. Anyways, I'm hosting a party Saturday night for our homecoming! Oh, it's also my old friend's birthday! We ran into him in Suna, could you believe? He was my friend since college. I wonder why you still haven't met him yet. But it's gonna be in the house. So you're coming right?"

"Naruto, you're lucky." She said, finishing the last bit of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Saturday's my day off—_thank Kami-sama_—so, yeah, I'll be there."

"Great! See you on Saturday Sakura-chan!" And the phone clicked, leaving Sakura alone in the blissful peace and quiet of her kitchen.

For, like, two seconds.

--

Tenten flipped around the bottle of gin and poured some of its contents inside metal bottle. She shook it a little, the let the mixture flow into a little glass bottle and gave it to the female patron waiting on the other side of the table.

The brunette touched her hair, checking if the two buns were still in place. She's been here since the bar opened at six, and won't be home until four in the morning. After all, Ichiraku's is a high end night club where the party was from dusk till dawn.

'_It's gonna be a long night.'_

Just then, a handsome young man sat on the barstool directly in front of her. He wore a white tailored suit with a dark purple tie. His silver hair was slicked backwards and tied in a ponytail at the end of his nape. Bangs fell over his large round glasses, blocking his eyes which were clearly ogling her.

She smirked as she got his order. Who wouldn't ogle her? She was wearing tight black jeans and boots. Her blouse was off shoulder and cropped, so it showed skin from her hip to above her belly. A black and silver studded belt drew more attention to the exposed area.

"Your order, sir." She presented the martini to the classy man. He picked it up and tilted it in a sign of toast.

"Thanks," he said, and took a sip from it. As the woman was shining a glass and setting it down, he was tempted to ask her, "What is a young lady like yourself working in a place this?"

"Trying to stay alive," She mumbled to herself, trying not to make eye contact with the man. "Haw about you? It's not everyday a finely dressed man walks into the club. Most of them are already underdressed as we know it." She giggled.

"I'm meeting someone here."

"A girl?"

"No, a lawyer," He said, taking another sip from his drink. "Someone is trying to sue me for something my father did to their parents or something, the bastard." He then chuckled loudly. "Who does the bastard think he is, suing the owner of Yakushi Corps."

Tenten's eyes were formally downcast, but she looked up in surprise when 'the bastard' and 'Yakushi' came out the man's lips. "E-excuse me? Y-ya-Yakushi? Yakushi Kabuto?"

"Yes," The man looked up from his drink. "Why?"

"Um…" Tenten stepped back slightly, not knowing what to say. Luckily, a familiar brunette head popped up on the other side of the counter.

"Tenten, I already talked to your boss. I need to pull you out for a meeting with—" Her lawyer was cut by her uncharacteristically squeaky, soft voice.

"Yakushi Kabuto? Yeah, I know." She never looked at Neji, but continued to stare at the silver haired man.

"Hyuuga Neji, I suppose?" Kabuto asked, tilting his martini glass towards the white-eyed man. "Pleasure to meet you. So this," He turned towards Tenten and stroked her chin seductively. "must be your client, Miss Kunai Tenten, I believe?"

The female shoved his hand away from her person. "Don't touch me bastard."

"Aw," He cooed. "But Miss Kunai, I practically own you. There are millions of dollars that need to be reclaimed. Maybe you can work it off? Working for me isn't so bad."

Neji chose this time to step in between Tenten and Kabuto. He slapped a manila envelope on the counter, along with a pen. "I'm her lawyer, I make the decisions."

Kabuto chuckled loudly. "Huh, _you_ make _her_ decisions? As if. I'm leaving. Make your people call my people when you make your decision." He threw a bill onto the counter and got off his bar stool.

"Stupid rich bastards,"

--

Sakura trudged up the stairs and turned to the right, where Ino's white and gold painted door was located. She gently laid her ear on the wood and could hear the quiet sobs coming from the blond, followed by the sound of something falling and breaking. A high-pitched yet aggravate scream echoed through the room, and at that time, the pinkette decided to enter the room.

"Ino…?" She called for her friend, who was nowhere to be seen in the dark room. She took one blind step in, and heard glass crunch under her boot. She hesitantly searched the wall on her right for the light switch.

Before she could successfully reach the switch, a voice interrupted her. "Don't Sakura,"

From the light shining from behind her, she could see a blond, unruly head peeking from the other side of the bed. If she didn't know better, she would've mistaken that head for another blonde's. "Ino?" She asked, leaning over the bed.

"Go away forehead!" The Yamanaka screamed. "Leave me alone!" She got an empty shot glass and threw in backwards, not caring if it landed on her best friend's face.

Sakura's hands shot up and protected her face immediately, but the glass only shattered on the wall beside her. "Ino, stop it!" She braved through the broken glass and discarded photos, one being a picture of the blonde beauty and Konoha's resident pineapple headed genius.

Every time Ino heard a step, she would cover her ears and yell 'no!' begging for her friend to stop approaching. "Go away Sakura!" She would cry. She reached for another bottle/glass/weapon, but hands grabbed her by both her wrists.

"Ino, stop it! You're hurting yourself! Please, stop it." Sakura begged, kneeling in front of Ino on tiny bits of glass. The blond could see little rips in her black stockings and thick red liquid seeping out. "Please,"

The blue-eyed girl couldn't help herself. She collapsed into Sakura's lap, soaking her black office skirt and the hem of her white blouse with tears. "I broke up with him!" Ino cried even more as she felt Sakura's affectionate rubbing on the back of her barely-there night dress. "I can't live without him! I don't know why, I just told him it was over!"

The pinkette stroked her friend's back, occasionally playing with strands of hair that slipped from the golden ponytail. She cooed the blonde, hoping to lessen the crying with her numerous "its okay"s, just like a mother comforting her child after he fell and scraped his knee.

After Kami-knows-how-long, she set Ino on her bed and cleaned the wounds on her knees. The medical prodigy then picked up the glass scattered all over Ino's bedroom discreetly, trying not to wake up the owner of the room. While she scavenged through the week-long mess, she stumbled upon the same picture she nearly stepped on.

She picked it up and analyzed it. She remembered when it was taken. About a year ago when everyone threw Ino a 'surprise' (she already knew) birthday party at their place. She remembered how happy she was. She was on good terms with her father, she had a steady boyfriend, and her face was the one pasted on all the Dior ads across the country.

Sakura couldn't help but think to herself. _'What ever happened to Ino?'_

A few months ago, she fought with her dad. She resigned from being a model because of the change of management. And just recently, she picked up the phone and told her long time boyfriend since she was _sixteen_ that it was over. And it was the wrong timing too.

"_Sakura,"_ Shikamaru approached her one day, hands casually in pockets as he met her at the hospital's front entrance. _"I think I want to marry that troublesome blonde woman."_

A few weeks after, he was dumped via cellphone.

She tucked the picture safely in her skirt pocket before picking up a can of broken glass and removing herself from the room.

--

"Hanabi, are you still awake?" Hinata slipped into her sister's room and found her lying motionless on her bed, spread-eagle position.

"Hinata-onee, what's it like to have an abortion?" The younger Hyuuga asked in a whisper-like voice.

The older of the sisters was taken aback. She squinted as she sat on the bed beside her teenage sister. "You're not thinking…"

"No," Hanabi sat up, as if _she_ was the one taken aback by her sister's question. "But it's just that I heard you talking with father…"

"_Hinata, I want that, that __**thing **__removed from your sister immediately!" Hiashi's voice boomed into the 22-year old's ear through the receiver. "It's unacceptable for a Hyuuga to get pregnant underaged! She's seventeen for kami's sake! I can't have that happen! It ruins the Hyuuga name!"_

"_Anou, father, it would be against morals…" Hinata tried to say to her father, but his demanding tone wouldn't let her get one mumble in._

"_I don't fucking care Hinata! I want it removed from my daughter immediately! And ask who the father is! I will personally go up to him and have him __**deported**__ to Kirigakure!" Hiashi angrily commented. "Now Hinata, GODDAMN NOW!"_

"I-I won't let you." Hinata told her imouto, holding her hand affectionately.

"Why? It's an order straight from father!" Hanabi cried, only thinking the logical things. "You can't disobey him! It's my fault anyways!" Tears streamed from her lavender eyes. "Onee, you can't do that to yourself!"

"And I can't have you aborting that child!" The older Hyuuga backfired. "Hanabi, what's worse? Detesting your father or destroying a life? I know the child wasn't meant to be but…" Her voice trailed off.

"But what onee? I'm seventeen for crying out loud! I can't support a child!" Hanabi explained. "I didn't want this to happen! I haven't even told Konohamaru about this! How will I…" She fell face first into her sister's lap, crying her heart out. "Help me Onee, I…can't…"

"Hanabi, what if…I adopted the child?"

--

**A/N: Ooh, cliffy! Too bad, you won't get to the next chapter til after Ma! :P**

**3,**

**Bella**


	4. Chapter 3: I'm Waiting, When It Rains

**A?N: Aren't I such a nice authoress? I'm updating early, and giving you two chapters! :3**

"C'mon Ino, we're gonna be late for Naruto's party!" Sakura called, tapping her foot while waiting for her blonde housemate. She just pulled on her black trench coat and beige scarf over her red off-shoulder, half-sleeve mini dress. To add extra warmth, she had a black tank top under it. With leggings and her favorite black suede boots under her dress, a black studded belt, black leather gloves, and her hair in a ponytail, she was ready to go.

If only Ino shared that same philosophy.

She glanced at her black studded watch (which matches her belt). She's been waiting for Ino for ten minutes. For Kami's sake, why the hell did she take forever to get ready? She gave a relieved sigh, thanking the lords that they didn't share a bathroom with that woman.

"I'm ready Forehead!" The blonde announced, rushing down the stairs. "Geez, you don't need to be so uptight." She said, throwing a purple parka over her skinny jeans, tight yellow shirt and killer heels combo.

"I'm gonna hail a cab." The pinkette exited through the doorway, disappearing into the cold night as she pushed her keys into her purse. She stood by the edge of the street and extended her arm. Luckily, a cab stopped just when Ino was closing the door and walking down their pathway, cutting through the front lawn.

They just slid inside the cab when Ino commented. "Saki, you have a huge house and a high paying job. Can you at least get a car?" The blue-eyed girl played with her bangs when her housemate shot her a glare.

"You know I wouldn't." She backfired, fixing the strap of her boot. The young doctor redirected her gaze and started counting the snowflakes on the windowpane. After a few moments of silence, the driver announced they were at their location. She threw a few bills over the seat and muttered a 'keep the change' (which wasn't much, in reality) before following Ino out of the car.

The duo waved at the receptionist, who recognized them as the Uzumaki-Hyuuga couple's usual visitors. They traveled the 27 floors to their friends' penthouse unit and knocked on the door.

"Sakura-chan!" Her other loud, obnoxious blonde friend greeted her with a large bear hug and started swinging her around. "I missed you so much!"

As she shoved him away, she cocked an eyebrow. "Then why didn't you ever answer my phone calls?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest. As he rubbed his neck guiltily, she shed her coat and purse and hung it on her usual coat hook (seriously, it had her name engraved on top of it).

"Anyways…" He started. The drummer then grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her away from the doorway. "I need to tell you something Sakura-chan."

"Well hurry. I still haven't greeted your girlfriend." She retorted.

"That's what I have to talk to you about!" He hauled her over to the end of the bar and cupped his hand over her ear. His other hand was working its way to his back pocket. "Look," He snapped it open and revealed a diamond sitting on a silver band.

"No. Way." Sakura squealed. "You're gonna pop the ques—"

His large hand slapped itself on her mouth, cutting her sentence. "Shh! She's here! I'm gonna announce it after a song or two."

Sakura clapped her hands in delight. "Naruto, you're growing up!" She cried, tears welling in her eyes in an anime-ish way. "But now, I've got to say hi to Tennie and Hina," She waved and skipped to the other end of the bar and walked the bartender.

The brunette was fancily flipping bottles of vodka and cherry juice, catching the attention of some patrons. She started juggling the said bottles and poured the contents of the two into a metal cup. She covered it and started shaking it, then poured it into a martini glass.

After a round of applause, she tapped the shoulder of the other bartender and wiped her hands on a towel. She walked around the bar, only to tackle a certain pinkette.

"Saku!!" She cried, attacking the young doctor.

"Geez," Sakura started, patting Tenten's Chinese twin buns like a cat. "Can some people greet me with a simple 'hi'?" She asked as the Chinese hybrid let go.

"Sorry, I haven't seen you in a while, you know?" She said. "Ooh, I love the outfit."

"Yours too!" She returned the compliment, seeing that Tenten's black dress coming down to her mid thigh with a golden dragon snaking up the side hugged her body perfectly. A white crop vest was put on top, fishnet stockings and ankle boots under.

"Well, I'm on break." Tenten announced, throwing her hands in the air. "Let's go find Hinata!" She linked arms with the pinkette and they walked to the lounge.

They found the white-eyed girl sitting on one of their black leather couches with Naruto's orange clad arm around her waist, Hanabi on the other side, and her cousin Neji sitting beside her. She wore a white blouse with puffed up shoulders over black long sleeves and turtleneck. She wore a black skirt and ballet flats, and her long bluish-black hair was matted against her fiancé-to-be.

"Ten, Sakura!" She waved to her two friends to come sit over with them. The two obliged, and Tenten sat down with the Hyuugas, and Sakura sat in between Sasuke, her old band mate and ex, and Sai, her close friend and replacement for when she left _Seventh Heaven_.

Other people on the couch were Kiba and Shino, Hinata's other 'brothers', Lee, Neji and Tenten's other posse mate since preschool and Tenten's housemate, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino's 'brother', **(We all have our group of brothers, am I right?) **Yamato, _Seventh Heaven_'s agent and Kakashi, their manager.

"So guys," Sakura propped her legs on Sai's lap in a clear motion to annoy him. She then leaned back onto the Uchiha, receiving a glare from him. "How was the tour?"

"Hn,"

"Busu,"

"Bastards, I wasn't asking you. I was asking Kakashi and Naruto." She jerked her thumb towards _Seventh Heaven's _band manager, then shot a glance at the blonde drummer. "_They_ would answer me properly."

"Who could answer properly when you're leaning against someone?" Sasuke asked, still wondering how Sakura can draw a whole sentence from him.

"Why?" The pinkette shrugged. "You used to find it cute." She poked his black clad chest, causing an angry growl to escape his lips.

His cold black eyes twitched to the side, meeting with Sai's similar ones. They nodded together and threw the pinkette off their laps. She fell unceremoniously on the floor with an audible thud, and the two raven haired band mates smirked, proud of themselves for causing her pain.

"You guys are meanies." She stuck her tongue out at the two with her hands at her waist. "Well, none of you will answer me anyways, so what's the point?" She felt degraded and started walking away. "I'm going to find Ino before she…well, you know."

Everyone just nodded, knowing what she meant. For people who are completely different, they somehow got along well and were a tightly knit group. Everyone threw glances at their group, not because _Seventh Heaven_ was sitting there, but because most of them were unbelievably attractive as well.

She searched through the room, cutting through the crowd. She was looking for a tall blonde-and-blue-eyed girl with killer heels and a tight top and her hair in a high ponytail. How hard could that be?

Apparently, very hard, considering the circumstances.

Everywhere she turned, there was some bleached blond girl courted by a handsome mysterious man. _'Too cliché,'_ Sakura thought as she continued to scan the room for her blond friend. _'If I were Ino, where would I…'_ Suddenly, a thought hit her. _'The bar!'_

She made it towards said location and found her housemate sitting on a stool, laughing with a brown-haired stranger. His arm was thrown around hers and she held up a shot glass. "More Mr. Bartender!" She said in her high-pitched voice called. Sakura immediately rushed to the bar table and stuck an arm out in front of her.

"Whoa there Ino, that's enough." She glanced at the bartender on duty and shooed him away before he could approach the blond with a bottle of whiskey. She then turned to her hooded suitor. "I'm sorry sir, but my friend needs to be somewhere right now." Without getting a word out of him, she hauled Ino's limp arm over her shoulder and walked towards the lounge.

"Saku…Sakura…" Ino would mumble in between her scolding until she got to her destination.

She tapped the shoulder of her other blonde friend to call his attention. "Hey Naruto, can I stick Ino in the guest room?" She asked.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, Hanabi's using the guest room, and we can't have it smelling like alcohol." Naruto explained.

"You can put her in our room." Hinata suggested. "We can just air it out after the party." The Hyuuga said with a smile.

"Thanks guys." Sakura started dragging Ino beside her as she walked to the stairs, up them and into the first door on the left. She opened it with ease, then dropped the blond on the queen sized bed. "Stay here; don't leave this room until I come back for you." The doctor commanded in her 'doctor voice', as everyone would say. She then left the room, closing the door as quietly as possible.

--

Kankuro ran a hand through his dark brown hair. He took another shot of whiskey when he heard two people sitting on either side of him.

"It's not proper to take advantage of a woman when she's intoxicated." His redhead brother spoke as he asked for something to drink.

The blonde woman at his side wagged her head in a subtle motion. "You'll never change, will you Kankuro?" She sighed. "Well, there's always an extra room in my place for when you grow old and broke spending your money on whores."

"That depends, Tema," He started. "But she wasn't a whore. She seems…different."

"Different in a way that instead of you getting her in bed, a doctor had to haul her off?" Gaara retorted, sipping from the newly materialized glass in front of him.

"How did you know that she was a doctor?" His sister asked.

The redhead just smirked at this. "She threatened me with a syringe, while she was wearing a white lab coat. As far as I'm concerned, she's a doctor." He joked until he saw his siblings' faces. "She was the doctor that treated me when you had to pick me up from the hospital."

"Gaara, you never change either." Temari chuckled. "Barely two weeks here, and you already get into an accident."

"THERE YOU ARE GAARA!!!"

--

Sakura made her way down the staircase and walked through the hordes of people until she landed safely in between Sasuke and Sai once again. She beamed at them when she saw their aggravated and annoyed faces. The two looked at each other then at her, evilly, might I add.

"Fine," She got up and walked to the other side of the couch mumbling 'evil black eyes' with a shiver. "I'll just sit with Shikamaru. He won't push me off the couch." _'Because he's asleep.'_ She thought, and sat on the slumbering genius' left, her legs hanging over the arm rest of the sofa.

Shikamaru doesn't actually sleep. He pretends to sleep so as not to be disturbed by random conversation. But he just had to strike one up with the medical prodigy of Konoha. The University math scholar lifted his eyelid to look at bright pink hair. "Yo Sak,"

She turned halfly to him, a small smile gracing her features. "What's up Shika?"

"Is she alright?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

The smile disappeared as she turned away. "I'm never sure about that anymore." She said gloomily, and he closed his eye.

'_Whatever happened to you Ino?' _They asked themselves.

"Yo guys!" Naruto suddenly appeared, and Sakura just realized he was actually gone. His appearance was returned with a bunch of 'hey's and 'waddup's. "I'd like you to meet the Subakus, the guys from Suna I told you all about! They all just decided to move her a month ago and—"

He was cut off by Sakura's sudden squeal when he presented the three siblings. "You're that patient that didn't want his heartbeat checked!" She cried, pointing a finger accusingly at the redhead in the middle, jumping up and down while she was at it.

"Eh??!! You know Gaara?" Naruto cried.

"I told you she was a doctor."

**A/N: I could end here, but I've been so mean for making you all panic, so SPECIAL TREAT! 2-in-1! **

"He was a patient last week." Sakura explained, rubbing her temples.

Gaara chuckled to himself, glad he could make someone so aggravated. "Well Doctor Haruno, I am honored that you still remember me." He joked.

"Well Subaku-san, who wouldn't remember a patient you need to threaten with anesthesia to check their heartbeat?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She slumped back onto her seat beside the Nara with a scowl.

Temari hit her brother's rib with her elbow. "Threatened you with anesthesia? Seriously Gaara," She complained, rubbing her temples.

Naruto offered the three siblings the empty spaces on the couch and the stools on the other side of the coffee table. Temari sat in the space between Shikamaru and Chouji. Kankuro sat beside Yamato on the cushioned stool opposite of the couch. Gaara settled for the arm rest beside Sakura.

As the group continued their chatter, the DJ's voice came on the mic. "And now, the band who set this all, Seventh Heaven!" He announced, and the band stood up from their seats. The spotlight was set on them as they waved to the crowd.

Suddenly, Naruto was in front of Sakura. "One set, please?" He pleadingly looked at the pinkette with bright cerulean eyes. "Please Sakura-chan?"

'_Oh no…the puppy-dog face…'_ "Um…well, just a few songs." She shrugged and took Naruto's hand and they followed the two raven-haired men up the stage. Sasuke, the band's usual singer, picked up his black and blue streaked guitar and stood at the back. As Sakura and Sai argued over the bass, Naruto walked up to the microphone stand.

"Hey guys, tonight we have a special guest. Our original singer and bass and keyboard player, and the genius who still writes our songs, Haruno Sakura!" He announced, then walked to the orange drum set at the back.

After Sakura and Sai settled who played bass (Sakura) and who would play the extra guitar (Sai), Sakura walked up the mic stand, inhaling deeply. It's been forever since she performed in front of an audience, and that was just at Ichiraku's Open Mic Night five years ago. She composed herself and smiled.

"Kay everybody, I'm Haruno Sakura." She spoke into the mic, and cheers from all over the room, but mostly the lounge, boomed. "We're going to play a song we wrote about five years ago called 'When It Rains'. I hope you like it."

Sasuke strummed once, then again. Naruto joined in with the drums and the whole band started playing on their instruments. Sakura then opened her mouth to sing;

**And when it rains**

**On this side of town it touches**

**Everything, just say again and mean it**

**You don't miss a thing**

**You made yourself look bad at the bottom of the blackest hole**

**And convinced yourself that it's not the reason you don't wanna see the sun anymore**

Sakura started swinging the red and orange electric guitar in a dance, feeling the synergy of the music. It was like she could remember the reason why she wrote in the first place: the downfall of her life.

**And oh, oh, how could you do it**

**And oh, I, I never saw it coming**

**Oh, oh, I need an ending so why can't you stay**

**Just long enough to explain**

Her high school life was never perfect. When she turned fifteen, her father, Dan, died. Her father was her best friend and guide, much more than her mother was. She became depressed and started drinking and cutting, and when she got her driver's license, she started street racing with Naruto and Sasuke.

**And when it rains**

**You always find an escape**

**Just running away**

**From all of the ones who love you**

**From everything**

Somehow, she could keep her grades up and still keep those vices. She would wear black eyeliner and clothes to school, a dark aura surrounding her all the time. Only some chosen people really knew her. Her inner circle would consist of Naruto, Sasuke (her boyfriend at that time) Ino, Tenten, Hinata and their circles merged, adding Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, Kiba, Neji and Lee.

'_Ino…'_ She asked herself as she strummed the bass strings. _'Is that how you feel? Shut out?'_

**You made yourself look bad at the bottom of the blackest hole**

**And you speak to me and you say you don't wanna see the sun anymore**

Everyone knew about her problem. Everyone helped try to stop her, and her drinking and cutting ceased just as senior year was ending. There was one thing she couldn't let go though—her need for speed.

Since her family was incredibly rich, she had an arsenal of sports cars to her disposal, ranging from her father's '58 Cadillacs to the new Mercedes models. She continued with her racing, her only vice at that time.

Sadly, as she was climbing up from rock bottom, her hand slipped. On one icy night right before graduation, her car skidded to the bottom of a ditch, and she was badly hurt. Her car was smashed into pieces, she broke both her legs, several ribs and had a piece of glass lodged into her chest.

**And oh, oh, how could you do it**

**And oh, I, I never saw it coming**

**Oh, oh, I need an ending so why can't you stay**

**Just long enough to explain**

As she recovered in the hospital, she continued with her schoolwork, thanks to all her friends. Aside from that, she studied basic medicine under her mother, the director of the hospital. She suddenly got interested in health, and after she graduated in a full torso cast, she immediately entered the Medical Institute of Konoha University.

**Take your time**

**Take my time**

**Take these chances to turn it around**

**Yeah take these chances to make it somehow**

**And take these chances to turn it around**

**Just turn it around**

She was having a great life, being the medical prodigy of Konoha. She had great friends, and nice house, and a fear hanging over her all the time. Never again will she drive a car, she pledged. Her friends all knew that she never wanted to be reminded of that. All car accident casualties were taken to other on-duty doctors.

Sadly, she didn't tell that to the new nurses.

One day, here comes Subaku No Gaara, a victim of street racing. Somehow, he triggered those deep memories, and she nearly lost it afterwards. When she got home, she indulged herself in her work, hoping to forget that patient.

Why the hell did he have to be so memorable?

**And oh, oh, how could you do it**

**And oh, I, I never saw it coming (2x)**

**Oh, oh, I need an ending so why can't you stay**

**Just long enough to explain**

She observed him from the corner of her eye, hiding the bright emerald under her loose bangs. He sat there, his face blank of any emotion. He had that tattoo on the upper left corner of his forehead, and five clear stitches opposite to that. His outfit consisting of black jeans, a red t-shirt under a black hoody and red converse clearly contributed to the bad boy image.

He must have seen her looking at him, because he suddenly smirked in her direction. She immediately turned away, re-averting her gaze to the wall at the back of the room. As she finished the few chords, she asked herself, why she was somehow drawn to him.

He dug up her old memories that she's tried so hard to keep. He was an embodiment of everything she used to be—the alter ego she left behind. And yet…

**You can take your time, take my time**

…she wasn't hating him for it.

After a round of applause, she threw a knowing glance at Naruto. He nodded to her and she spoke on the mic. "Um, can Hyuuga Hinata come up on stage?" She asked.

Everyone on the lounge turned to the white-eyed girl in between her two relatives. Before she could hide from the spotlight, Neji and Hanabi pulled her to her feet by her arms. She had no choice but to make her way to the stage with the spotlight following her and a blush staining her cheeks.

Sakura stepped back as Naruto came from behind the drum set. She held out the mic to him and he took it with a shaking hand. She patted him on the shoulder reassuringly before stepping in between Sasuke and Sai.

"What is he doing?" Sasuke asked, leaning in to whisper.

"Just watch." She held her guitar behind her and clapped her hands together in a dream-like state.

"Hinata," Naruto bent down on one knee and pulled out the small velvet box from his jeans pocket. "Will you marry me?"

Hinata was silent during the one-sided exchange, her face turning a tomato red. Sakura, knowing well what would happen, walked behind the Hyuuga girl and caught her as she fell backwards. Everyone gasped in shock as she started fanning the unconscious girl's face.

"Hinata-chan…?" Naruto looked over his girlfriend with concern. "What happened?"

Sakura giggled as pearl peaked through the Hyuuga's eyelids. "I think she said yes, Naruto."

--

Hanabi stood up from the couch as her sister passed out on stage. She started making her way through the crowd, even though Neji was shouting for her to stop.

"Excuse me, niisan. I have to do something first." She disappeared from her cousin's sight and merged with the crowd. Much to Neji's surprise, she wasn't heading to the stage to her older sister. Instead, she was heading the opposite direction to where some standing tables were.

She approached a spiky haired brunette and tapped him on the shoulder. He immediately turned around and hugged her. "Hanabi!" He cried, lifting the youngest Hyuuga in the air.

"Konohamaru, I-I need to tell you something." She said, with a little trouble, nervous on how her boyfriend would take it.

"Shoot Hanabi-chan." He smiled goofily.

"I'm pregnant, Konohamaru. It's your baby."

--

Sakura had Ino's arm slung over her shoulder. She supported her blond friend as she trudged through the January snow, attempting to hail a cab. A spot of yellow was approaching, and she stuck out her free hand. "Taxi!" She called, but the public service transportation unit passed her. "Stupid fucktards don't know…" she cursed under her breath, but continued to walk through the snow.

The snow was piling up around her, making it harder to walk. With the free arm, she tightened her coat, shielding herself from the cold. She damned whoever invented snow as she continued to drag her friend towards their home, three miles away.

As she continued her muttering, a heavily tinted sedan pulled up beside her. The window rolled down and revealed a redhead at the driver's seat.

"Gaara…" Sakura said after a few moments of analyzing his shadow.

"Do you need a ride?" He asked.

"Um, if it doesn't trouble you, then yes please." She replied. "Where do you live?"

"My house is down that direction, just past Green Valley." The jade orbed Subaku said as she shoved Ino in the backseat. "How about you?"

"We're in Green Valley, so it's on the way." The pinkette climbed into the front seat beside Gaara and buckled up. "What about your siblings? Do you guys live together?"

"No," He shook his head in the negative as he turned into Park Lane. "Temari lives a few blocks down from Naruto's place, and Kankuro lives on the other side of the city."

"Wait," She held her hands up in a halting manner. "I thought you all moved here together?"

"Temari's been here for business for quite a while. Kankuro followed about a year after, and I just got tired of Suna." He shrugged the topic off with a tilt of his head.

"A Jaguar," Sakura stroked the dashboard with the tip of her finger. "Amazing horsepower. Said to go up to 5000, am I right?" She asked with a smile gracing her features.

"How do you know all that?" He inquired, lifting an eyebrow.

"I used to drive one." She shrugged.

"Why don't you have a car? Don't doctors earn enough to buy a lot of cars?"

She turned her gaze towards the window. "I can't," She whispered under her breath. "Anyways, turn a right here."

Gaara did so, thinking on why she couldn't get a car. She was perfectly rich, like all Harunos. She even used to drive a Jaguar for crying out loud. He glanced at the exposed skin on her wrist. He could see thin white lines in the space between her glove and her coat.

'_Cutter…'_ He thought. Scars like those never actually faded away. She saw him observing her when the light was red, and she hid her hand under her hair.

"This house on the left," She pointed to a Renaissance style house at the corner of two streets. He pulled over by the sidewalk and opened his door. As Sakura climbed out of her seat, Gaara opened Ino's door and pulled her out bridal style.

Sakura skipped ahead of him and pulled her keys out of her purse. She stuck in into the lock and opened the door. Switching on the light, the room was bathed in a light halogen. She led him down the hall and up the stairs. The pinkette turned to the door on the right. Gaara entered and laid the blond on the bed.

He turned to the Haruno and saw her take of the purple parka from her friend. She slung it over her arm and smiled to Gaara. "Thanks Gaara. I'll walk you down."

They walked back down the stairs and to the front door. Sakura hung Ino's parka and shed her own coat and gloves before opening the door for Gaara.

"Thanks again." She extended her right arm to him and plastered a small smile on her lips. He shook it accordingly before exiting through the door. "If you need help around Konoha, we're just here."

He turned when she said that and smirked. "If you need a ride," He said. "I'm just past the village in Kage Towers." He then continued his walk down the path to his car and climbed into his seat, put his key in the ignition and drove off.

Sakura watched the black sedan merge into the dark night before smiling to herself. She disappeared behind the closed door and practically skipped to her room, her thoughts filled on Subaku No Gaara.

**A/N: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! TY! :))**


	5. Chapter 4: How To Save A Life

**A/N: Ha! I updated! BWAHAHA! **

**Okay, the only reason I got to finish this even though school started today (well, orientation was today), was because they sent me home for self-quarantine. Stupid H1N1, got me sent home on the first day of school. Made me wake up 5 in the freaking morning...**

**So anyways, I got to start and finish this chapter in one day. :)) I'm proud of myself. **

**Disclaimer: No, Naruto is not mine. :(**

Hinata was sad. More than sad, actually. She was pretty dang depressed. She wasn't depressed enough to drink herself silly—no, that was Ino—but she was still pretty damn sad.

Flashback

"_You want to ADOPT this monstrosity?" Hiashi demanded in a booing voice. The dust on the desk of his private study flew off and glinted in the sunlight as his two daughters cringed. "This STAIN in the Hyuuga name?" _

"_H-Hai father." Hinata nodded, trying to put on a strong front. _

"_Hinata, I have accepted the fact that you wanted to be with the Uzumaki boy, but…this?" He cried in disbelief. "I'm disappointed—very disappointed. I'm having Neji write up the papers for your disowning." _

"_W-what?" Hinata was flabbergasted. She stepped back and held her hand to her heart. "B-but…"_

"_If you keep the child then you get disowned. Hanabi was a more suitable heir anyways. You were already going to be disowned." Hiashi waved his eldest daughter off and she gave a quick bow before exiting the study. _

_The large wooden door clicked behind her and she met the eyes of her sister and cousin. A tear slid down her cheek as Neji nodded solemnly. _

"_I'm sorry, Hinata-sama." He said sadly before disappearing down the hallway. _

_After composing herself, she tilted her head towards the front door. "Come on Hanabi. Let's go."_

End Flashback

Hanabi was totally confused as to what her sister was planning. She was instructed to get a pair of pajamas and a change of clothes and she was dragged to her sister's Volvo.

"Nani onee-chan, where are we going? The younger Hyuuga asked, strapping on her seatbelt over her three-month baby belly.

"Well, Naruto-kun is having boys night, so we're having girl's night!" She chimed, as if earlier that day she wasn't disowned at all. A smile was pasted on her face as she drove off towards Green Valley. "Sakura-chan had a free night off, and Ten-chan doesn't have work on Saturdays. Ino-chan is just hanging around, and they even convinced Temari to join!"

"Erhm…okay, whatever you say, onee-chan." She mentally sweatdropped before turning her eyes to the road.

--

The Hyuuga sisters were at Sakura's front doorstep, donning their coats and bags in their hands. The pink-haired medical prodigy flung the door open with outstretched arms. "WEEELLLLCCCOOOMMMEEEE!!!!" Sakura said, throwing her arms around the two white-eyed girls. "TO MY ALL GIRLS SLEEPOVER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!"

She dragged them upstairs and into her room, in all its red painted glory. The other three girls attending the 'All Girls Sleepover Extravaganza' already occupied her all white bed. The two blondes and one brunette were painting their nails and fixing their hair.

"Gee Ten, I never knew you had so much hair in these uptight buns." Ino commented, plaiting the Chinese hybrid's chocolate brown locks with ribbons and flowers.

The bartender was trying to push the Yamanaka's prying hands off her head. "Lay off Ino! My hair's perfectly fine!" She cried and subsequently fell off the bed on the cream-colored carpet.

"Hey everybody, since we're all here, we can change into pajamas now!" Sakura announced, her limbs flying around in a very Naruto-like way, all the while shooting the good-guy pose that Lee loved to use.

Everyone jumped for their stuff and pulled out their respective sleepwear.

Ino disappeared out the door and reappeared with a purple lacy nightgown that covered vital parts, but only until the thigh.

Temari was in plaid booty shorts and a loose black shirt that had bold white print that said 'MELON OVERLORD PWNZ'.

Sakura wore a loose white polo over a pair of black leggings. To add to that she wore pink and grey striped socks either for the heck of it, or because she was cold.

Hinata wore Naruto's horribly bright black and orange pinstriped pajama pants and a white tank top with the Fire Country's symbol was printed in red.

Hanabi was in black Capri jogging pants and wore a grey shirt with 'Konoha Gakuen' printed in the front.

The girls sat around in a ceremonious circle on Sakura's bed, chatting about random stuff like the new make-up line L'Oreal release. After that, Sakura whipped out some popcorn and Pepsi, and turned on random chick flick after another.

At about 11 PM, a thud can be heard from outside the bedroom's window. Sakura ran to it and (like most things this evening—she was high on sugar…) flung in open. "Naruto! What the hell are you doing?" She asked and examined her window. A snowball was slowly slipping down the glass. She then looked back down at the blonde and his companions. There were seven figures down on the sidewalk in all. The pinkette could make out the shadow of a pineapple and a chicken's backside.

"Sakura-chan, we're here to crash your party!" Naruto cried, waving his arms around frantically. "Teme, Asshole, Pineapple Head, Twerp, Puppet Boy, and Tanuki are here too!"

"What?" Temari cried in the background, utterly confused by the other blonde's strange nicknames.

"Oh yeah, you're new!" Sakura remembered. Again, I repeat, she was high on sugar. It was one of her rare days off. She wanted to enjoy it while she could. "That means Sasuke, Sai, Shikamaru, Konohamaru, and I believe the newbies are your brothers…well, they are here. Should we let them in girls?"

The other girls chorused 'yeah' and 'sure fine whatever'. But two of them froze—guess who.

Ino was stuck in her spot at the thought of being in the same, smallish room as her ex-boyfriend, who she regretfully dumped the month prior. She still felt ultimately stupid for doing so. She was _drunk_ for crying out loud! Still, every time she would try to call him, she was taken to voicemail. She couldn't bear to talk to him face-to-face, so she dodged meeting him during Naruto's party by instantly getting drunk and winding up in Hinata's bedroom.

Still, she nodded when Sakura stopped to look at her. Her best friend smiled before reverting to her overly cheery self and grabbed the nearest pillow. "RELOCATION TO THE DEN!" She announced, right before running through the door and heading to the larger room (with a larger TV and accommodation space) upstairs like she was going to conquer France or something.

"SAKURA-CHAN! OPEN THE FRONT DOOR!" Naruto's voice boomed from outside, causing some neighbors to complain colorfully.

"YOU HAVE KEYS BAKA!" She snapped back at her surrogate brother, settling herself in the beanbag in her den. "SOMEONE GET THE POPCORN PLEASE!"

Hanabi was hesitantly making her way up the back stairs when her sister's obnoxiously loud fiancée burst in through the door, along with the six other guys. "SAAAAKKKKUUUURRRRAAAA-CHHHAAAANNNNN!!!!" Naruto wailed, running through the door of the basement den.

After that, a very audible thud, followed by a scream was heard.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, why do you do that all the time?"

"Ne, Naruto," She mocked. "Why do you get me in trouble with my neighbors all the time?"

The blonde and the pinkette were having a mental war (Sakura winning, of course) until more loud blondes, shy white-eyed girls, indifferent brunettes, anti-social ravens, an impassive redhead, another brunette the opposite of his hair-twins and a noisy brown-haired teen squeezed through the doorway.

Everyone settled down around the large den, some strewn across the floor, others squeezing on the couch. They (mostly) stayed quiet as they were absorbed in 'X-Men: Wolverine' except of course, for the selected few (guess who) arguing about Comics vs. Movie versions.

Somewhere in the middle of the movie, Hanabi sat down beside Sakura on the beanbag. "Mm…ne, Sakura-san, I was wondering…"

The pinkette turned towards the little Hyuuga with a smile. "Yes, Hanabi-chan?"

"I was wondering, since you and Sasuke…like a really long time ago…were together, and were both my age during that…time…" She babbled, unsure of what to say.

"You're wondering if we ever did _it_, right?" Sakura replied in a hushed tone so that no one around them could eavesdrop. Then again, everyone else was still absorbed in the movie or in Naruto's one-sided conversation with himself.

Hanabi nodded, red tinting her cheeks.

"No," Sakura replied quite bluntly, a smirk gracing her features. "Sasuke and I were close—an item, in all actuality—but he really seemed boyfriend material. Sure, he cared for me, like the when-you-get-cold-there's-always-a-spare-blanket-in-my-house and I instantly went crush-mode whenever I saw him, but we felt like our love was the wrong kind. He's more like my…brother." She sighed.

Hanabi let out an aggravated sigh. She thought she could depend on Sakura for advice such as things like that—she seemed to be the glue that kept her sister and her other friends sane. She was always so happy-go-lucky; always smiling. If she frowned, it was because of something comically wrong, like Naruto's strange antics or Sai's weird insults.

Sakura was just so dependable and innocent looking. Sure, she only started to get to know her when she was fifteen years old or something like that, yet she knew Sakura could be trusted.

"Oh, okay. Just promise that you won't say anything Sakura-san, 'kay?" She stuck out her pinky finger like a toddler expecting her mother to promise to take her shopping in the big girls' section in the department store.

Sakura wrapped her small finger around the other girl's. "Promise, Hanabi-chan. Just drop the formalities, okay? It's kind of annoying to be called something like 'Sakura-san' or 'Haruno-san' or 'Haruno-sama' outside the hospital."

Hanabi nodded before standing up to go to her usual place on the carpet with her sister. As she did, she walked around the couch and spared a glance at the youngest brunette in the room, but quickly turned away. Her steps hastened but a large hand suddenly wrapped her wrist, holding her back. She turned around, only to be met by soft chocolate brown eyes.

"Hanabi-chan, come with me," He asked. Without waiting for a response, he pulled her out of the den and into the hallway.

Everyone's attention was suddenly averted to the door when Sakura (it was her house, thus giving her ultimate control of the remote) paused the movie. After a moment of silence, Naruto turned to his surrogate sister.

"Do you think they'll be alright Sakura-chan?" His voice radiated his brotherly concern for the younger male.

"It's alright Naruto. They'll be fine." Sakura replied, letting the movie play once more.

--

"Hanabi-chan, I'm sorry I sort of ditched you during Naruto-nii-san's party…" Konohamaru started, rubbing his neck in a childlike way. "I mean, this was _my_ fault after all. I'm really sorry." He now held her on her forearms, straightening her body to face him, even though she wouldn't make eye contact.

"Of course you should be sorry." She muttered under her breath. "Because of you, I'm pregnant, school is about to start, I have stained my family's name and my sister is about to be disowned! Of _course_ you should be sorry." Unconsciously, she huddled up in his chest and his arms wrapped around her protectively. With their bodies so close together, he could feel the slight and very unnoticeable bump against his stomach.

"I am. I'm sorry." He cradled her, and tears started slipping from his own eyes. "I'll do anything for this baby Hanabi-chan. Two and a half years from now, I'll have a nice, high-paying job and we'll take care of the baby."

"You don't have to do that Konohamaru-kun." Hanabi looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Hinata-onee-chan and I made an agreement. She and Naruto-kun will adopt the baby. They are getting married after all. Then again, that's why she's getting disowned." She buried her head in his jacket. "Oh I'm so confused Konohamaru-kun!"

"Don't worry," He kissed the top of her bluish locks. "We'll figure this out."

--

Gaara stole a quick look at the pink-haired medic sitting on the carpet (her beanbag had been reclaimed by—guess who—the Melon Lord) in between Naruto's legs and a dozing Ino. Her full attention was at the TV screen as she subconsciously munched on her personal bowl of popcorn. He smiled at this. Innocence is bliss after all.

He continued this routine until the she quietly maneuvered through the movie-watching audience and slipped out the window. It seems that no one really noticed her leave because she passed around the backside of the couch, or maybe because everyone was used to her leaving.

Whatever it was, he followed her out the window and nearly slipped on the water left on the roof tiles from this morning's spring shower.

He looked up and was met with a pink and grey striped sock in the face.

"Hi Gaara." She greeted cheerfully, swing her legs over the edge of the upper den's roof.

He stayed silent and made his was to the short metal ladder attached to the side of the house. He plopped down beside the pinkette and she smiled at him. Shortly after, she turned to look forward and gaze at the city skyline.

Konoha was built in the center of the continent's mainland, thus giving it a view of River, Star, Grass, Rain and a bit of Suna country. It just so happened that Haruno Sakura's rooftop gave them a spectacular view of the bustling city of Suna over the small expanse of River Country.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Hn," Gaara replied, too mesmerized by the two beauties with him—his homeland and the pink-haired doctor beside him.

Suddenly, he saw her eyes look down below. A worried expression marred her features as her eyebrows knotted. "Gaara, why are the police in my yard?"

--

Ino was hyperventilating right now. Maybe it was the overload in sugar. Maybe it was the 11 (turned 7, after the disappearance of certain couples) people crammed into the comfy yet smallish attic/den. Maybe it was the fact her ex-boyfriend who she dumped _accidentally _was sitting next to her on the floor.

Her blue eyes stole a quick glance at the brown-haired genius. He was sleeping—of course. But before she could instinctively whack him on the back of his head (in a way not so different from the way Sakura smacks Naruto), someone else on his opposite side had pinched him awake.

After a groan from the pineapple head, the person beside him scolded: "It's rude to sleep during a movie, y'know!"

Guess who.

Okay, a hint: blonde, loud, blue-eyed, NOT NARUTO.

"Temari!" This time, it wasn't the victim.

The voice's owner stood up, as far as her 5'5 would allow her.

Before she could launch into a speech of her own, a weight came down on her shoulder.

"Ino-san, don't bother with nee-chan like that. She's really violent."

Ino turned around to see the eldest Subaku son smiling at her, beckoning her to sit down once more.

Snapping out of whatever entranced her, she smiled. "I wasn't mad at her for hurting him." She started. "She just hurt him the wrong way." The blonde finished by smacking the Nara at the back of his head.

Shikamaru let out another groan as he rubbed his head. "Women are so troublesome." He sighed, yet his face gave away everything as he smiled at the Yamanaka.

Before she could smile back, Sakura came jumping through the window. "Does anyone know why the hell cops are in my yard?" She asked, a panicked expression on her usually soft features. She halted anyone who could give her an answer as she ran out the door, bent on answering that very noisy banging on her door.

"Miss Haruno Sakura?" A tall (and scary) police officer dressed in the standard navy blue uniform held up his badge and she opened the door.

"Hai, officer,"

"We have been informed that the whereabouts of a miss Kunai Tenten are here?" He semi-questioned, tucking his badge into his coat pocket.

"What of it?" Sakura replied, her face twisting into a scowl. She peered around the officer's shoulders and saw two police cars parked by the curb, and a shiny, black sedan by it.

"We have a warrant to arrest her."

Sakura's eyes widened at the folded paper in the police officer's hand. She took it and read it over. "Who ordered this warrant?" She asked suspiciously.

"Mr. Yakushi Kabuto, of Yakushi Corps. Miss Haruno." He bluntly stated.

"Officer, I don't think Miss Haruno needs anymore proof than that." A tall, silver-haired man with oversized glasses suddenly materialized behind the officer. During that time, everyone rushed downstairs to see what was intruding with their (not so) peaceful movie night.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Naruto stepped forward to defend his sister. "Is something the matter?" He asked, putting an arm protectively in front of Sakura's body.

"Of course there is, Uzumaki Naruto." The silver-haired man laughed evilly as a small, mousy-looking old man passed him a clipboard. "I took the liberty of researching about Miss Kunai's friends. Arrested and tried on accounts of over speeding, disturbing the peace and…oh, this is a doozy…manslaughter."

"The last one isn't true." This time, Sasuke stepped in between his two friends. "The victim is still alive and all charges have been lifted."

"Ah, Uchiha Sasuke, am I right?" Before he could get an answer, Kabuto simply continued. "The same charges plus…grand theft auto? Oh my…" Kabuto then gave him a stern glare. "What, did you as _sweet older brother Itachi _to pay your bail or something?"

Sasuke let out a snarl as Naruto held him back. How the hell did Uchiha loose his cool?

"Prove to me the charges of manslaughter were dropped." Kabuto asked, a villainous glint in his eye.

"Because I am the victim, and I'm alive and breathing." Sakura spoke up, making everyone turn to her. "And before you continue Mister Yakushi, I shall continue for you. Haruno Sakura: charged for disturbing the peace, over speeding, grand theft auto and tampering with stolen property. All charges were dropped after the night Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were charged with manslaughter. After that, police gave three minors a chance to rebuild their lives after a year of rehab. We all went to college, got our dream jobs, and that's the end of that. So now I ask you Mister Yakushi, what do you want?"

Just as he was about to answer, another figure was running up the pathway. "Yakushi, you bastard!" He said between pants as he tried to catch his breath. "You have no right to arrest Tenten!"

"Mister Hyuuga, if you please just step back. No one will get hurt unless Miss Kunai submits to working under Yakushi Corps. To regain her parents' property." Kabuto snickered as he watched the once proud and stoic Hyuuga shrink back. He laughed again. "Well, Miss Kunai, it seems your…posse has put up a strong front for you. I will get you next time though…" He shoved through the crowd and to Tenten, who was hidden protectively in between Ino and Hinata. "All of you."

And he left with that, leaving Tenten collapsed in Hinata's arms, crying her heart out. Sakura was slumped against the wall, Naruto sulking beside her and Sasuke staring out into space. Neji was resisting the urge to repeatedly bang his head on the front door. The rest of the group went through this motion in silence, pondering on what the hell just happened.

Yakushi Kabuto was out to get them.

**A/N: I had so much fun writing this chapter!! :)) Hyper Sakura + Teen Angst + Minor Fluff + Trouble with the Cops = PURE AWESOMENESS!! 8 PAGES OF PURE, BLISSFUL AWESOMENESS!! **

**wow, awesomeness is a word in my dictionary. O.o**

**R&R! :D TEEHEE!**


	6. Chapter 5: Gives You Hell

**A/N: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'M ALI~~~~~VE!!!**

**yeah, okay. Short chapter, I know. :P But it just goes to show that YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF YOUR LAPTOP CHARGERS. OR ELSE.**

**enjoy~! :)**

Hanabi angrily plopped a tray of hot cocoa on the coffee table in the living room. Everyone was gathered there, for it was the closest comfort zone from the door. The den was a mess anyways.

Her older sister followed soon after with a tray full of the tidbits and edibles that her aggravated friends could chew on. After, she sat in between her fiancée and Tenten, taking in his muttered cuss words and her sorrowful sobs. To Naruto's left was Sasuke, doing the exact same thing in his head. Next to him was Shikamaru battling sleep to think up of some way to shut everyone up.

He was losing. Miserably.

Next to him was Ino, watching the whole thing with bloodshot cerulean orbs and knees brought up to her torso. Beside her was Sakura, who was destroying one of her good sofa cushions and her nails. Temari sat on her left, trying to stop the pinkette from ruining the gold lace embroidery. Her brothers were beside her, nonchalantly sipping hot cocoa. Continuing the circle were Konohamaru and Hanabi, snuggling together in fear as everyone around them went (quietly) ballistic. Neji was awkwardly patting Tenten's back in a pathetic excuse for comforting a friend as she drenched the end of her red sleeves and his shirt with her tears.

This wasn't exactly the scene Sakura was expecting when she and Ino planned the _'All Girls' Sleepover Extravaganza'._

She rubbed her temples when Temari yanked the pillow from her hands. White painted nails clawed at the thin sheath of sweat around her eyes. Suddenly, she got up, her socked feet making a loud noise on the tile flooring. She stomped away screaming colorful words at no one in particular.

Temari sighed. "GOOD NIGHT!" She shouted back sarcastically.

"Neji," Shikamaru's open eye spun to look at the eldest Hyuuga. "Who is this guy anyways?"

Said brunette sighed as Tenten cringed. _'Thanks for bringing that up Nara,'_ He thought before he started to explain. "Approximately 30 years ago, Kunai Daisuke and Kaede were in debt to the government. As normal archery teachers in a local high school, they obviously didn't have enough. They degraded to borrowing hundreds of thousands from Yakushi corps, which was also the biggest company in the black market. The fact is still unproven though.

"But they still couldn't pay off the debt to pay Yakushi. They were supposedly assassinated, and custody of their only child was given to Mitarashi Anko. So now, Yakushi's son is after their daughter for the pay."

"But I work in a bar, and my parents owed hundreds of thousands, with interest. Kabuto keeps on suggesting that I 'work for him', whatever the hell that means." Tenten butt in, wiping tears from her eyes. "I think I'm gonna follow Kura's example. 'Night guys." She bid them goodbye and left to walk upstairs.

The brunette made her way up the carpeted stairs rubbing her eyes. She turned into Sakura's room and plopped onto the bed, not noticing the fact that the owner of the room wasn't there at all.

--

The 3rd floor den was a mess. Sakura never liked anything messy, so she unconsciously made her way to the large room and started picking up the soda cans and popcorn bowls and setting them on the tray. She brought them down to the kitchen, passing the back stairs as to not alert her friends of her presence. She grabbed a hand broom, dustpan and a rag and went back upstairs to finish cleaning up the pieces of popcorn and spilled soda.

Before she went to the 3rd floor, she stopped by her room and changed into a new shirt, her old one drenched in cold sweat. After, she pulled a blue bandana from the bedside drawer, careful not to wake up Tenten dozing on her bed.

Cleaning always calmed her. It always relaxed her to know things were in order. How she loved organization. It made life so much easier.

She brushed off some leftover popcorn from the edge of the low coffee table pushed to the side to make space for the audience. After, she wiped off the spilled Coca-Cola from the wooden finish. Satisfied with her work, she tried pushing the table to the center of the room, failing. She closed her eyes in aggravation as she pushed it once more (stupid carpet) and felt the weight move forward.

An emerald eye opened to see who had assisted her, and was met by cool jade replicas. She smiled.

"Arigatou Gaara-san."

He nodded and she made her way to the couch, plopping down with a contented sigh. The room was clean and she was happy about it. She closed her eyes dreamily, but when she realized the redhead's presence was still in the room, she opened her right eye to see him leaning at the doorway's opening.

"What happened to everyone?" She asked, motioning for him to sit down beside her on the faded blue couch.

"Everyone's gone to sleep." He bluntly replied, settling down beside the doctor.

"And you?" Sakura questioned as she dug for the remote behind the cushions.

"I don't sleep." He deadpanned as the image of Woody Woodpecker came on screen.

"Insomnia?" She questioned with the remote in hand, switching the channels to something less…annoying. It ended at MTV, broadcasting the new hit of 'All American Rejects'.

He shook his head in negation.

"Personality disorder?"

Slowly, her turned to her and nodded.

"Hmm, small world. I had that too. Well _have_ is a more exact term. She's still there, Inner, I mean." She rambled, eyes not leaving the luminous television screen. A hand raked through her pink locks, twisting the ends of her short hair habitually. "Mom says she was lessened to a level 2 now. What about you?"

"Level five."

"Ouch." She drawled. "No wonder. It must be hard. And here I thought the black circles 'round your eyes were makeup. Then again, the drugs can do a lot to you."

"What did they do to you?" He asked, the statement piping his interest.

She pushed the sleeve of her shirt up to reveal a bunch of scars all slightly darker than her pale skin. Blotches marred the delicate white. Unconsciously, he brought his hand up and traced around the marks, barely touching her shoulder.

"Chemical burns, both internal and external," She explained. She let her sleeve replace itself, cutting Gaara's dreamy doodling on her skin. She ruffled her pink locks with a yawn, then turned to look at him. "Tired yet? Of course not, who am I kidding. It's you!" She laughed.

He watched her, observing her every move. When she'd smile, her eye would crinkle at the corner a bit, and a dimple would appear. She likes sitting with her hands clutching the edge of her seat and swinging her feet around. Her nails were painted white, although he recalled last time he saw her, they were black.

"Well, I'm off to check on everyone else." She stood up, pat him on the shoulder and skipped out the room.

He sat there for a short moment, staring out the window to gaze upon the clear night as the last notes of "Gives You Hell" played.

"I'm not in love."

**A/N: CLIFFY~~~! really, Gaara? :-? : OH WELL, I'M THE AUTHOR. ::: :D **

**Couldn't continue it. Was getting sleepy in the plane on the way to BALI, INDONESIA!!!! WOOT!! IT'S 1:36 AM, AND DAMMET I'M HIGH ON PISTACHIOS AND GODIVA CHOCOLATES!! **

**~Bella**


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